ASSOCIATION OF RESISTANCE TO ACTIVATED PROTEIN-C AND DURAL ARTERIOVENOUS-FISTULAS

Resistance to activated protein C (APCR), shown to be the most common genetic risk factor for venous thrombosis, is mostly caused by a mutat ion in the factor V (FV) gene leading to FV Leiden. As dural arteriove nous fistulas (DAVFs) are associated with cerebral venous thrombosis, we looked for the FV Leiden mutation in seven patients with such fistu las. The APCR ratio was determined according to standard procedures. F or APCR ratios considered pathological (less than 2.0), mutation analy sis was done by a reverse hybridization assay. Three of the seven pati ents with DAVFs showed pathological APCR ratios and heterozygosity for FV Leiden mutation. Thus, it is hypothesized that FV Leiden might be involved in the pathogenesis of DAVFs.